Percy Jackson and The Fire Prince

Chapter 6: The Western Air Temple

This chapter is so gay. So, so, so gay. I'm not sorry.

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Percy laughed loudly as a black pegasus galloped forward and slammed into him, pushing him onto his rear as he nuzzled Percy's chest harshly, horsey tears rolling out of his eyes. 

"Boss! I was looking for you everywhere. Have you been here this whole time? Why didn't you bring me with you? We thought that rock-lady got you!" the pegasus cried, stomping his hoof over and over as Percy tried to get him to stop pushing him.

"Blackjack, hey--I'm sorry. Yeah--no, of course not!" Percy stuttered, pushing his giant horse head away. "Come on, man, get off me."

The pegasus jumped, straightening to attention and whipping his tears away with a wing. He stood stiffly like he was waiting for orders. "Yes, boss!" he exclaimed, sounding a lot happier than he probably should have after being ordered around. 

Seeing the familiar winged-horse warmed Percy's heart and he sniffed lightly, brushing a hand under his nose to try and regain his composure. "And stop calling me Boss," he reminded, grinning at the familiar feeling that rolled into his chest. 

Percy's attention was brought back to the present when a strangled noise escaped Sokka's throat and put the pegasus on high alert. 

"What the heck is that!"  

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Zuko worried at his lip as he paced back and forth, trying and failing to think of new ideas to ask the Avatar if he could join their group. He had followed the Gaang all the way to the Western Air Temple after he told his father that he would join the Avatar and help defeat him. Now, he had no idea how to confront them and ask for a spot on their team. They would totally shut him down and he would totally deserve it.

After a full day of moping around, he decided to just do it.

--- (Some parts in the following paragraphs are taken directly from the episode) ---

Percy introduced them to his flying horse, sorry, pegasus. It wasn't that hard for them to accept Blackjack, they had never heard of a pegasus before, but the animals in their world were so unique, it wasn't too far of a stretch. Percy rode on Blackjack's back and the rest of them hopped on Appa to fly toward Aang's safe place, the Western Air Temple.

It took them a while to get there because Appa eventually needed to land since couldn't carry so many people all the way there. As they walked, the adrenalin from fighting Heracles disappeared and the reality of their loss weighed down on them. Fortunately, seeing the amazing scenery of the Western Air Temple helped the younger kids feel a little better and they went sight-seeing right away.

Percy had been banged around the most during their fight with Heracles, so he went to rest in one of the empty rooms when they arrived. Then, Zuko came to visit. Aang, Katara, Toph, and Sokka were sitting around the fountain when they spotted him. His hair was down like it was when they saw him in Ba Sing Se, and he had both of his empty hands out in plain sight.

"Uh . . . hey, Zuko here!"

They stared at him in shock for a hot minute before arming themselves and glaring at the intruder(?).

"What are you doing here?" Katara spat. She lifted her hands and coated them in water-tentacles that curled around her arms like snakes.

He threw his hands into the air in the universal sign for surrender. "I'm not here to fight, I swear!" Zuko kept his arms up to show that he wasn't hostile. "I actually came because--uh, I'm good now and, uh, I think I should join your group. Oh! And, I can teach fire-bending. Uh, to you." When he finished struggling like a stuttering mess, Appa walked over, growled in his face, and left a huge lick all the way up the side of his body.